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Don’t Panic Yet

Fire Woodson! Trade Shumpert! Release Chris Smith! Calm down Knicks fans, it’s only seven games into the season. Ever since the devastating loss of Tyson Chandler, due to a fracture in his right fibula, the Knicks play has been nothing but unacceptable. Chandler is a leader who brings 100% to the court every night and protects the paint like no other player in the NBA. The Knicks have been a very injury plagued team these past couple of seasons and they have persevered through all of these issues. Take some deep breaths fans. Yes, the Knicks have lost their leader, but if they are truly an elite team, success should not be deemed as improbable.

It all starts with the coach, Mike Woodson. Only seven games into the season, the fans at the garden were started an emphatic chant saying, “Fire Woodson!” As the Nets begin this season at a horrendous 2-5, beat writers and analysts around the league see the Nets as a team that just needs to find chemistry for their new players. When these NBA experts hear about the Knicks, a sudden panic always arises. The Knicks have six new players on this team, chemistry is not there yet, but it should develop soon.

Woodson’s system has some weak points as well. Watching a Knicks game, one would think that offense would come fluently, but on this team there is very little passing . Isolation after isolations, this can’t be too productive of an offense. The reason the Knicks have lost these games is because they are quick to isolate without even looking to pass. Of course, this problem relates to the inconsistency of Carmelo this season, which will improve, and the poor play of Raymond Felton. The players need to begin to have some trust in each other before they can succeed.

These problems may seem like a below average season is coming, but their is no need to worry. This team is still extremely talented, with the scoring champion, the sixth man of the year, a great defender in Shumpert and many more. Woodson will have his rotations set soon, which will help lead to the chemistry this Knicks team desperately needs. For now, take this season one game at a time and let these players get back into the swing of things. Don’t panic yet.